From the album 'Southern Emigrant Trail'
Wright. Music and lyrics: John Malcolm Penn, © Radio Flyer Music

This location represents a crossroads of the Southern Emigrant Trail, as it branches off in three directions: to Los Angeles, San Luis Rey, and San Diego.
Camp Wright's surgeon reported food could not be cooked because wind put out fires, and gales blew down all tents, tipped over tables and inkstands so that company reports could not be written. The camp was moved and the stage station was used as hospital and officers' quarters at Oak Grove camp.
Troops from Camp Wright were involved in the only military action of the Civil War on California soil, the capture of the "Showalter Party." They had organized in El Monte to cross the desert and join the Confederate Army. Captured near Mesa Grande and taken to Camp Wright, they gave their word not to take up arms against the United States, and were released. Most of them again set out for the South and enlisted, according to the original plan.

State Historical Landmark NO. 502
OAK GROVE STAGE STATION
Plaque Inscription: Oak Grove is one of the few remaining stations on the Butterfield Overland Mail route, which operated between San Francisco and two eastern terminals-St. Louis, Missouri and Memphis, Tennessee-from September 15, 1858 to March 2, 1861. During the Civil War the station was used as a hospital for nearby Camp Wright.


Lyrics:
OAK GROVE STATION
Camp Wright life is all right just about half the time
That is until the big wind blows and you fight the dirt and grime

This is no breeze I'm talkin' about every afternoon without fail
The air puckers up at the top of the hill and blows at a perfect gale

Clouds of dust twist and push the dirt right into your eye
The sandy soup gets everywhere, and you can't even see the sky

Chorus - But up the road
There's a grove of oak
A mighty fine, location
That's where we'll move
Where the wind don't blow
This camp to oak grove station

Into every camp kettle and coffee pot the dusty wind does blow
Buckets of water look like mud it's time to move you know

Tables and tents and cots and chairs this devil wind tips over
Here come another blast again, its time to head for cover

Chorus

Such are the trials of Army life in 1861
But the dust don't choke in a grove of oak, down at oak grove station

Chorus